How to Improve Air Quality in Your Home

How To Improve Air Quality In Your Home

Air Quality Facts – Did you know?The air inside of your home is 2 to 5 times more contaminated than outdoor air? About 80% of cancers are actually caused by our environment and not just genetic factors. The most common carcinogens are found in household cleaning products that we expose to our families on a daily basis. Among these toxins, household dust, pet dander, and mold also contribute to contaminants found in our homes.

So how do you help prevent the accumulation of toxins in your own home?
Below are 10 Tips on How Improve Air Quality in Your Home

1. Buy house plants – Large-leaf plants are not just for decorations but they also are particularly good at improving your air quality in your home. You can purchase certain breeds of plants that are known for cleaning the air in your home as they take in the contaminants and releases fresh particulates into the air.

2. Ventilation and Air exchange – One of the easiest ways to remove toxins and improve air quality from your home is by opening your windows. Replace the air in your home by letting fresh air in, even in the winter time. It’s still a great idea to properly seal drafts coming from windows and doors to conserve energy and help control outdoor air pollutants from entering your home.

3. Treat the source – Find the source of the smell, whether it be pet odors, mold, etc and properly treat each problem. Replace candles with an oil diffusers or if you must have candles; purchase ones made out of soy or beeswax. Use candle warmers as any form of burning results in production of by-products that are released into the air, decreasing your air quality.

4. Invest in a heavy-duty air purifier – When purchasing an air purifier, check HEPA filtration ratings and then match your desired square footage with the square footage capacity of the air purifier you wish to buy. Be aware that air purifiers need to be on pretty much all the time so you may also want a unit that isn’t too loud and doesn’t take a large amount of electricity to run. Read the unit’s instructions and replace filters as directed. It’s always a good idea to clean these out daily, replace filters as needed, and use only purified water as this will reduce the amount of particulates released in the air.

6. Switch to greener cleaning products – Lower your family’s exposure to hazardous carcinogens by making the switch to greener cleaning products. You can save a large amount of money by making your own cleaning products that are safer and just as effective.

7. Invest in organic cotton products – Conventional cotton is derived from cotton farms in which insecticides and pesticides are used. These are also hazardous carcinogens that further contaminate our homes. Also invest in mattress and pillow protectors and wash bedding in hot water weekly. Hot water will help eliminate any toxins harboring in your linens which you could be absorbing into your skin. It’s also good to be aware of how old your mattresses are and replace according to standard regulations of usually 10 years.

8. Check for water leaks to prevent mold – Wet areas like laundry rooms and bathroom/shower rooms are prone to mold. Use the exhaust fans (if applicable) and opening windows and doors to allow steam to ventilate out.

9. Use stove kitchen exhaust fans while cooking – This will help filter contaminate by-products resulting from cooking. Replace exhaust filters at least twice a year.

10. Replace your carpets – Replace your carpets with hardwood flooring and washable rugs. You should also replace curtains with wood blinds. Carpets and curtains are notorious for harboring dust. (How often do you really take down your curtains and wash them?) Invest in a floor steam cleaner as this is an effective and environment-friendly way to clean your floors.

Like most families, our homes are our sanctuaries. There’s something relaxing about having a clean, fresh home.
What tips do you have for keeping the air in your home cleaner and fresher?

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I need to have some plants in my house. Great tips for helping the air.

http://www.mommyengineering.com Katriza

Thanks! I’m working on a post about my top choices for indoor plants, hope you can stop by and check it out!

Ivonne

Great tips! I also use my oil diffuser (with no oil) to keep the air cleaner; it does help too!

http://www.mommyengineering.com Katriza

I love oil diffusers! They are so much more effective and healthier than burning candles! Plus, they smell just as great! Thanks for stopping in!

http://www.heartbeatsSoulStains.com Debbie Tom

We have a lot of plants outside but definitely need to get more inside 🙂 It’s so important especially when I have a couple little ones with asthma!

http://www.mommyengineering.com Katriza

I just love having my plants because it adds so much beauty in my home and I’m so glad they also clean the air behind the scenes! Thanks for visiting!

http://www.betteronabudget.com Evelyn

So many great suggestions! I love having plants inside my home; they’re great!

http://www.mommyengineering.com Katriza

Thanks for visiting!

Julie Wood

These are very good tips in helping improve air quality in the home. Making sure to keep dust down by vacumming and dusting is so important. I would love to take out the carpets and put in hardwood floors. A good air purifier is also very helpful.

Rosie

wow these are super ideas. I’m looking into getting an air purifier. These other suggestions are eye openers, too.

Working Mum

Great suggestions, I love our hardwood floors and our large leaf plants and always insist on opening our windows even in winter. Now I have a good reason to insist on it when the rest of my family complain about being cold! 🙂

Momma Addict

This is a great post with really good suggestions. I think I can improve in all areas except opening windows. I have terrible allergies so this is suggestion should not be used during allergy season.Thanks for sharing.

Karen Heavey

Great post, I’ve never really considered the air in my home as being more contaminated than outdoor air. We are constantly taking steps to be “greener” and cleaning products is the next on our list to change. Thanks for the tips and information.

These are really great tips! I’ve been reading about air purifiers and I’m definitely saving up for one of the better ones.

Audria Allred Smith

love these ideas! I often think I would like fresher air, I will have to try these!

Jhilmil Bhansali

We have been lately thinking of getting an Air purifier & this post was helpful.

https://www.totallymommedit.com Kanani B.

My son has terrible allergies and we have to do a lot of these all the time. We’re picky about our air filters and we have to run a purifier year round. Ugggh…it’s been an investment but it helps more than just him, it’s helped the whole family breath better!

TheGB&PBlog

These are great tips! I have a few of these that we need to fix to help our home.

Amy Blake

Love these tips! We have a lot of allergies in our home, I m always looking for new ideas to keep the air cleaner.